Ideas and inspiration for a great (or Really Good) hen do

Tag Archives: hen weekend

The hen do organiser went through people’s Facebook accounts, and took people’s status’ over the years, read them out and the group had to guess which person had posted it. You could have an “On This Day” section where you read out what people had been doing on the particular day you’re playing the game on.

She also did some “Guess the Missing Words From the Bride’s Status” and “Who Was ‘In a Complicated Relationship’ in April 2010” etc.

I think this is a great idea, and quite an easy/fun job for the organiser (possibly) if you’re trying to think of different icebreaker games to play. (Although it won’t work very well if all the Hens aren’t on very active on Facebook.)

On my mate Kate’s Hen do in early August, I thought it would be fun to set all the Hens secret missions. They all had to complete them at some point on the first night (although one secret mission had all weekend).

There were some hilarious results, so please feel free to steal these and use them on one of your hen dos. Also, let me know in the comments section if you have any other good ones.

Here they all are:

Take a selfie with everyone individually! Be overly enthusiastic about it, and pull terrible faces!

Convince someone you will be naming your daughter James or Andy like Ryan Reynolds or Jack Osbourne. Or Thor if it’s a boy (this was for a 5 months pregnant Hen)

Accidentally prick at least 3 people with your/a badge pin (a bit of a mean one, but I was running short of ideas)

During an appropriate time take a sip out of everyone’s drink as soon as they put it down. Don’t ask them if you can.

Guess what everyone’s secret challenges are, come and tell me when you think you might know. (This was for the bride to be)

Somehow let me know when you are going to attempt it (by asking if I want a drink, and nodding) and then nod at least 30 times in a minute without anyone realising. You can try as many times as you want, but I have to count 30 obvious nods.

Eat 2 bags of Wotsits in 2 minutes

Make an outfit out of other peoples clothing (at least 3 other people) without anyone realising. (Top, jacket, trousers etc.)

Swap your rooms bags with another rooms and act a bit outraged when you ‘discover’ what’s happened!

Over the course of the evening Break into song 5 times in context to what someone says. If someone says wedding, sing I’m getting married in the morning, if someone says tomorrow, sing the sun’ll come out, tomorrow etc.

Ask to try on everyone’s shoes. Even if they won’t fit you. Actually try them on.

Get a celebrity to Tweet us! You have all weekend to see if we get a Tweet.

SECRET MISSION 10: Make an outfit out of at least 3 other peoples clothes

SECRET MISSION 11: Swap your room’s bags with another rooms

All of the challenges were good, but a couple deserve a special mention:

Secret Mission number 4. This was the best one I think. The photo doesn’t really do it justice, but Clare really piled on the makeup throughout the evening and people were too nice to say anything. Everyone was relieved when it turned out she was just doing it for her secret mission.

Secret Mission 5. I ruined this one. I went into the kitchen and someone told me all the wine had disappeared. Even though I knew it was someone’s secret mission, I’d had a few drinks myself, forgot it had been removed on purpose, and restocked the fridge myself with extra wine we had in the cupboard. It would have been great to see everyone panic for a bit If I hadn’t ruined it.

Secret Mission 9: Eating 2 packets of crsps in 2 minutes sounds easy, but I’d bought the Wotsits in specifically for the challenge, and they were the only 2 bags in the house. My friend Kirsty had this challenge, but my mate Karen was hungry and really wanted the Wotsits so she stole a bag off Kirsty. Kirsty then had to continue eating the first bag, whist trying to wrestle the 2nd bag back off Karen to compete her challenge in the 2 minutes. All whilst not telling Karen why she wouldn’t let her have any Wotsits.

Secret Mission 14: We got a Tweet! Jane Tweeted a video of a game we’d played that I’d seen on Celebrity Juice (The Cornflake Shake as I call it – this will be on a separate post at some point) to Leigh Francis and Holly Willoughby, and Leigh Francis Tweeted back as you can see below.

I had the honour of organising my best mate Kate’s hen do a couple of weeks ago, and as part of it I arranged a Bucking Bronco.

I will write the whole weekend up in more detail in a ‘Hen Do That Happened ’ post, but thought it would be useful advice for people organising a hen do to know what happened on our weekend.

I’d hired a massive house with huge grounds and thought a bucking bronco would be fun. If you don’t know what a bucking bronco is, here we all are on it:

Group shot on the Bronco (before it all went wrong)

Everything was fine until Kate’s third go. When she was thrown off she landed awkwardly on her neck, leading to a lot of pain, blurred/fuzzy vision and she was seeing stars. We rang 111 and described her symptoms, and before we knew it this was happening:

The lady we spoke to on the phone had sent an ambulance as a precaution

All of Kate’s vitals were tested and fine, but her eyesight wasn’t really improving. The paramedics said that although they thought she’d be fine, they would take her to hospital if she wanted.

She obviously didn’t want that, and luckily a couple of hours after the accident she felt well enough for a Gin and Tonic, and hen do fun was able to resume as normal! (Phew!)

Whilst we cancelled our plans for a night out at an 80’s club in town, I had enough games planned to make sure we had an even better time staying in. There were Power Ballads, balloon stamping, shot push ups and naughty biscuits (which you can read all about in the Hen Do That Happened post when I get round to writing it).

Kate also had a massive bruise on her thigh (she bruises like a peach), so we made a list of all injuries sustained on the bronco. Everyone had at least one, with the worst ones including:

a massive gash on one Hen’s foot (which we asked the paramedics to check out whilst they were there)

10% loss (approximately) of one Hen’s body skin

a perforated boob and a torn shirt, where a badge the Hen was wearing was ripped off as she was thrown off

(One Hen also had a cut on her finger, but that was from slicing limes for the G&Ts).

It was pretty serious at the time, but it does make for a good story – how many other people can say they had to call an ambulance at their hen party – and I’m all about the stories!

When I found this website, I knew I had a duty to write a blog, as more people needed to know that this is an option for a hen do.

The website seems a little out of date (the public events page mentions 2012), but I have been in touch with ‘Cherry Darling’ and she is definitely still doing hen dos. If I had seen this before I found my Swedish cruise, I would have definitely screamed with a queen!

What is it: “The UKs Premier Paranormal Party Experience”

Where is it:Various locations around the UK from what I can make out on the website

How much is it:From as little as £45 per person

Important info/conditions: –

Contact: cdentertainments@hotmail.co.uk

Website: www.screamwithaqueen.co.uk

The following text (and all photos in this post) are taken from the website:

Welcome to the Scream Palace of Cherry Darling and Scream with a Queen, the UK’s Premier Paranormal Party Experience, delivering unique hen parties, ladies nights and celebration events.

Are you searching for that bespoke and unusual event that will have tongues wagging for years to come? We are the Nation’s only event company to offer this unique experience in some of the most haunted venues and hosted by the divalicious Cherry Darling.

If you’re after a wickedly fun experience then read on… If you don’t, go to Blackpool…

About us

Are you looking for an occasion that has simply got to be one of the most unusual events ever? Then you have come to the right place, for here at Scream with a Queen, we offer bespoke ladies nights, unusual celebration events and unique hen party experiences, which encompasses the opportunity for an amazing party as well as going on a ghost hunt in some of the UK’s most haunted locations. However, this is a ghost hunt with a difference… All of our celebration events at Scream with a Queen are tailor-made to thoroughly entertain and to provide you and your chosen victims with the ultimate party or exclusive hen night experience imaginable.

We searched the length and breadth of this haunted Isle to find a Diva of massive proportions capable of leading fun filled parties into the unknown and therefore we ask you to stand and salute the delicious Diva of Darkness herself, the one and only – Cherry Darling!

She will treat you and your guests to the following night of fun, frolics and fright!!

• Arrival Drinks for you and your guests
• A sumptuous two or three course meal in a *haunted location
• Cherry’s Camp Cabaret time
• Mini paranormal ghost hunt

My mate Nicki from university has set a date for her wedding. And you know what that means – HEN DO!

Nicki and I

And what a hen do it will be. She wanted to go to Glastonbury, and to Glastonbury we shall go. Eight of us were committed to going, and somehow all eight of us managed to get tickets.

We’re going to Glastonbury!

I am excited about the festival, but now I’m advancing in years, I’m not looking forward to the toilet situation.

I’m not looking forward to these…

I’m at that stage in life where I need to go for a wee in the middle of the night and I don’t want to have to put on wellies, crawl out of my tent, walk for a mile and half (in the pouring rain more than likely) and queue up with 3000 other people who also need a wee.

So we’re hiring a motor home! We’ll be dry, warm and have access to our own personal toilet!

Nicki and I (and friends) on a previous Motorhome adventure in Sweden.

I’m not going to lie, it’s going to be an expensive week, but it’ll be worth it.

As I am now going to my first Hendoval? Festido? I thought I’d do a top 6 things to be aware of if you’re thinking of going to a festival for a hen do:

Festivals are expensive. Not just the tickets, but also getting there, food and drink and camping equipment. Be aware that some of the people you really want to be there might not be able to afford it.

On the flip side, you won’t be able to stop people you don’t want to be there from coming! Is your cousin Florence a nightmare drunk? Does Louise from work have hygiene problems? Is your neighbour Susan a little too flirty with your husband-to-be? If it’s V Festival or Leeds etc. where it is easier to get tickets, they can just buy their own and rock up and camp with you!

For those that can afford it, be aware you might not all get tickets. This was a very real fear for Glastonbury, and we’re not entirely sure how we managed it.

There is a very good chance it might rain! Which is not fun. If this is going to really bother you, I’d suggest thinking international! At Sonar festival in Barcelona, you can stay in a hotel. Benicassim Festival (also in Spain) is on a beach. Whoop! (Although my friends went one year and it was so windy their tent blew away…)

You’ll have to pack wisely. It will be difficult taking in 75 individual vodka jelly shots for the forfeits. And we’re going to have to think cleverly about how we’ll fit in the banana suit, the hamburger suit, the chicken suit, the baby outfit and the mankini. Although a mankini doesn’t take up much space…..

The festival might not be near the wedding date. Nicki’s wedding is actually in December. This isn’t a problem at all though, it just means we get to have two hen dos!!

As I have no experience yet of attending a hen do at a festival (Hendoval? Festido?), I will leave this here and report back in July next year. I can then cover all the things we loved/forgot/wish we’d taken/did work/didn’t work etc. In the meantime, let me know if you have any top tips for hen dos at a festival.

Finally, I found out last week I am going to be Nicki’s bridesmaid. I am very honoured, and very excited indeed, and will now make sure this is the best hen do she can possibly have. (It would’ve just been ok before….)

The following text (and all photos in this post) are taken from the website:

Introducing a dynamic new idea for the bride who dares to be different.

Add a touch a glamour and sparkle to your hen party with a synchronised swimming lesson from Aquabatix, the World’s leading team of professional synchronised swimmers as seen on ITV’s Splash and Britain’s Got Talent.

Aquabatix has teamed up with Gillian Milner from the stunning venue Deerhurst Road in SW London to offer an exclusive hen party package for those looking to surprise their bride with something unconventional and truly memorable.

The two-hour session comprises of welcome refreshments, a lesson from one of the UK’s top coach’s along with demonstrations from a former international synchronised swimmer. The fundamentals of synchronised swimming will be taught whilst creating a routine performed to music of your choice. The pool is shallow so any standard of swimmer can participate.

To round of the experience, bubbles will be served whilst you relax in style.

Hen party in action!

The hen will also receive a special Speedo Sculpture swimsuitto either wear in the session or take away with her as a memento of her day.

The experience includes exclusive use of the entire basement swimming pool, changing area, disco room and outdoor terrace.

I think everyone knows the game where you split into teams and make a wedding dress for one of your team members out of loo roll.

Image taken from http://theweddinggurus.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/hens-night-game.html

I like to add in white bin bags and newspaper. At the end a team member ‘explains’ the dress (i.e. explains the inspiration), and you can invent a designer name. The bride-to-be can pick the winner. (Hopefully she won’t be biased if she participated).

As a slightly different alternative to this, on my friend Robyn’s hen do in April we played ‘Dress the Wedding Guest’. We split into teams and were given:

1 Barbie doll (or pound shop alternative);

A selection of coloured tissue paper;

1 childs hair bobble;

1 piece of lace fabric;

A roll of sellotape; and

A pair scissors

I think we had about 15 minutes to create our designs.

Hard at work

The finished products

I was genuinely impressed with people’s creations, and it was a great game to play if you have a large communal area to yourselves. Also it’s very mother-in-law friendly game. Unless you’re me and my friend Jane, and you’ve had a couple of glasses of wine. In which case your entry will end up being called Chlamydia, and have a nipple exposed. (Inspiration – Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction, Super Bowl 2004).

“Ladies, forget about the “L” plates, Spa Days and Ann Summers parties… We have something new and exciting to offer you! These totally unique days cater for all sorts of abilities, even none! Geared completely for every member of the group with fun and light hearted banter throughout the day whilst actually mastering the skills of being a knight, or trying to anyhow! With plenty of opportunities to embarrass the stag or hen!

Come for a weekend, day or half day for a unique, exciting and action-packed Stag or Hen Do! Upon your trusty steed learn how to strike the quintaine target (man-shaped target that spins on impact) and spear rings with your lance before wielding a broadsword as you learn a swordfight straight out of the movies. Then raise the stakes as you compete in teams to battle it out in the “Grand Gauntlet Challenge” tournament! You will pick up points for your team in the mounted “knight’s skills” that you have learnt and then attempt to knock the Black Knight from his horse in a mini joust! Add a hog roast and a few barrels of ale with on-site accommodation for the Complete Knight Package!”

I have just been on my mate Cath’s fab hen do in Brighton (Saturday to Monday) which was loads of fun, and will feature in a future “Hen Do That Happened” post.

As I didn’t know a lot of the girls there, I thought i’d ask them if they had any experiences on other hen dos that I could mention in my blog. I got loads of ideas which I will write about in due course, but I especially liked Tanya (one of the organisers) telling me how she was made to dress up as a penguin on her own hen do. This was for 2 reasons:

She looked hilarious

Penguins mate for life. Awww.

Cute, yet funny enough not to be vomit inducing (unlike the boat trip we went on this weekend….)

So, I’m off on a hen do this weekend!! In honour of this, here is the first in the series of ‘Hen Dos That Happened’ and I thought I’d better start with mine. I’ve included the main details, a little narrative, and good and bad points, which will hopefully be of use when you have to organise one. Enjoy!!

Where:Sweden – night on a Cruise liner from Sweden to Finland and backWhen:21 – 22 May2011 (Exactly 3 years, 1 week ago)How long:2 daysHow close to wedding:10 days beforeNumber of hens:27Theme:Gypsy bride and bad-taste bridesmaidsCost:£169 (flights, accommodation, dinner and breakfast, all you can drink during meals)

So this is the reason I started this blog. My hen do. And what an epic one it was. 28 girls, 2 days, 3 countries, 2 all you can eat buffets, 1 perfectly in-tune rendition of Total Eclipse of the Heart, a sunset, a sunrise, 3 evictions from bars/clubs for me being asleep, 37 re-applications of bright red lipstick, not all on my lips, and approximately 500 crazy Scandinavians.

I organised all the big stuff for my hen do, where we’d go, what we were doing, when, who was coming. I handled all the payments, room allocations, and details of getting to the airport etc. I then handed over the responsibility to my hens for the fun details.

We flew over to Sweden from Gatwick early on Saturday morning, had lunch at a restaurant in the harbour, and then boarded the boat.

All my hens at the airport, in our hen do t-shirts

The boat

I had worked out who was in which cabin before we arrived, and we went and dumped our bags then headed up for drinks in the sunshine on deck.

Later we went to change for dinner, which was an amazing buffet (included in the price) and i was very surprised to turn up at the meeting place and everyone was dressed in bad-taste bridesmaid dresses. That was my highlight I think. Everyone looked great.

My surprise at seeing everyone in their bad taste bridesmaid dresses

Me with all my bad taste bridesmaids

After dinner, and two hours of beer and wine free on draught (we even stopped bothering with glasses and just poured straight out of the taps into our mouths), we set off exploring the entertainment. There were several clubs and bars on the boat, including a Karaoke bar that we took over for a while. Around midnight everything gets a bit hazy, but I do know that there was a live band on, and the bouncers weren’t very happy if you fell asleep in their bars!

One of my many little naps

I also had several dares to do. As I said things are a bit hazy, but according to photographic evidence I was wearing another man’s socks at one point. I’ll be writing a blog post on ideas for dares at some point in the future.

I went to bed at about 4.30am after watching the sunrise on deck which was amazing. It wasn’t overly fun the following morning when we left the ship (after our included breakfast buffet) and had to get back to the airport with a massive hangover ready for the flight home.

I would post a link to the website here, but unfortunately the company we used for the entire package, which included flights, is no longer in business. If you want to book the cruise and then book flights separately, here is the link:

We went on the Cinderella cruise. You’ll need to check what is now included with this.

Upsides Great views, inclusive food and drink during mealtimes, Swedish/Finnish people are crazy, staying up for the sunset – my hen’s didn’t let me go to bed even though I kept falling asleep in nightclubs, 2 pregnant friends came with me, it was an absolute bargain, I loved the t-shirts we were all wearing and had a lovely photo book made for me.

Downsides: It was pretty knackering, a few people got ‘seasick’ after drinking all day the previous day, it didn’t last nearly long enough and apparently it was quite hard for some people to get a bridesmaid dress.